46 F
Davis

Davis, California

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Raindrops on roses, and on you

While many students would prefer to stay at home drinking cocoa under a blanket during the cold spells and rainstorms, senior UC Davis students know how to cope with the weather.

Although there are differing opinions on the best way to transit to campus and between classes, fenders, rain boots, umbrellas and rain jackets are necessary winter accessories for the Davis winter.

Because the rain will soak through most shoes, Lynn Romano, a senior English and Spanish double major, recommends rain boots for any walking or biking between classes.

“I hate having wet and cold feet and I can’t really focus in class,” Romano said.

In Romano’s opinion, those concerned with the approaching winter should prioritize comfort and functionality over appearance. As it starts to get cold, she avoids flip-flops and shorts and switches to rain jackets, pants and umbrellas.

“It’s a lot more important to be comfortable than to look nice when going to class,” Romano said.

Due to the warm temperatures in many classrooms – in contrast to the bitter cold outside – Giana Ciapponi, a senior English major, suggests dressing in layers. Cold-weather clothes include sweaters, jackets, gloves, scarves, warm hats and waterproof pants or leggings.

“A lot of people prefer to wear jeans when it rains, but I prefer to wear leggings and tights because they dry faster,” Ciapponi said.

UC Davis students and faculty should also consider protecting their backpacks and laptops from the rain. Ciapponi uses a plastic bag to cover her backpack and protect it from the rain. Leland Gee, a senior biochemistry and economics major, wraps his laptop with a sweater, but leaves the rest of his belongings uncovered.

“Everything else in my backpack is fair game if it gets wet,” Gee said.

Despite the cold, Ciapponi recommends biking to campus because there are less people biking on the road and she can arrive at her next class on time.

Ciapponi, Gee and Romano all stressed the importance of fenders to prevent the notorious “freshmen stripe,” a line of water and dirt down someone’s back caused by his or her back bike tire.

“You can dig up some gross stuff from your bike. Do you really want to ruin an outfit?” Ciapponi said.

Gee said although he takes the bus, driving to campus is the best but most expensive way to get to campus. Between classes, Gee suggests walking with an umbrella, even though it is slower than biking.

Those looking for temporary shelter from cold or wet weather on their way to class should consider taking warmer routes through buildings.

“I have these shortcuts. I have certain buildings I cut through. For example, if I’m at SciLab and I need to get to Wellman, I go through Storer,” Gee said.

Romano said taking the bus is the way to go when it rains. According to Romano, there is little parking for cars on campus and bikers get soaked.

“It’s very hard to use an umbrella when you bike and ponchos look ridiculous,” Romano said.

Gee also dislikes biking during the Davis winter. “When you’re on a bike, the wind is colder, you have puddles to bike through and it’s a colder experience than walking,” Gee said.

Although taking the bus is convenient, dry and useful in extreme weather conditions, doing so also has its downsides.

“Sometimes [the bus] is late, and then you’re late to class. It’s also very crowded, and we’re packed like sardines,” Romano said.

Many students are tempted to skip class on a rainy or a chilly day, but Ciapponi refuses to skip class because of the weather.

“I always motivate myself [to go to class], thinking that when I get home, I’m going to drink Chai tea,” Ciapponi said.

GRACE BENEFIELD can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

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